The black PVC circular object was left on the front deck of the mailroom with a 4-by-4-inch Post-it note underneath, according to a tribal press release.

It was immediately reported to the Grand Ronde Police Department. Sgt. Jake McKnight cordoned off the area and contacted Salem police.

It was later determined the item was a hobo meter used to gauge water temperature, which was accidently left at the mailroom instead of the Natural Resources building, according to the Smoke Signals newspaper.

The Tribe’s Emergency Operations Team, which was already meeting to deal with the Willamina Creek Fire, expanded the exclusion area to more than 1,000 feet and evacuated the Grand Ronde Food Bank, which was within the exclusion area and was scheduled to have a food distribution Friday morning.

The tribe also closed access to its main campus entrance off Grand Ronde Road.

The bomb squad arrived about 9:30, and two robots were sent into the mailroom to X-ray the object. A decision was made to “neutralize” the object, and the deck sustained minor damage as a result of the bomb squad’s action.

The Tribal campus went into lockdown shortly after 10, and tribal employees were asked to stay inside. The lockdown was lifted about 10:30, and it was determined there was no threat to the tribal community.